Participants:
Series Code: RAD
Program Code: RAD170025A
|
00:01 What does the future hold?
00:02 Where can we find certainty in a world of uncertainty? 00:05 The Book of Revelation provides hopeful answers 00:08 for today, tomorrow and forever. 00:11 Join Mark Finley, 00:12 author and world renowned speaker 00:14 on a journey into the future 00:16 with Revelation's Ancient Discoveries. 00:22 Welcome back. 00:24 Thank you for joining us 00:25 for Revelation's Ancient Discoveries. 00:28 You know a lot of people, 00:29 when they think about the Book of Revelation, 00:32 think about complicated prophecy. 00:35 Some people say," 00:36 You know, I don't want to study Revelation," 00:38 because all it's about is mystic symbols, 00:40 and prophetic images, 00:42 but actually the Book of Revelation has encouraged 00:45 the people of God down through the centuries. 00:47 It is a prophetic book, 00:49 but it's a very, very practical book 00:52 and when you look at the Book of Revelation, 00:54 it gives you joy for today, 00:56 it gives you hope for tomorrow, 00:58 it gives you courage for the future. 01:00 Our topic today looks at joy out of disappointment. 01:05 As we study, let's pray, Father in Heaven, 01:09 as we come to the Book of Revelation, 01:12 the last book in the Bible, 01:14 we pray that we would not only understand 01:17 its prophetic significance, 01:19 but we pray today 01:21 that you would speak to our hearts, 01:23 we pray today that the living word, Jesus, 01:28 would speak to us personally, individually, 01:32 bring to us a sense of hope 01:35 in despair, in courage, in defeat, 01:39 and bring to us a sense of joy 01:42 in the disappointments of our life. 01:44 Help us to see... 01:45 You can turn around any circumstance 01:47 for the glory of your name, in Christ's name, amen." 01:50 Amen. 01:52 The topic for this presentation is 01:54 "Revelation's Prediction of Joy in Disappointment". 01:59 You know, as you live the Christian life, 02:02 you often experience trials. 02:04 There are many people 02:06 who look at the Christian life and say, 02:08 "It's just health, wealth, and prosperity." 02:11 But that certainly was not the picture 02:15 that you get when you read Scripture. 02:17 It is not the picture you get 02:19 when you read the New Testament. 02:21 It certainly is not the picture you get 02:23 when you read the Book of Revelation. 02:25 Down through the ages, 02:27 God's people have been encouraged 02:30 as they have read Revelation. 02:32 Think of some of the trials that God's people have faced. 02:36 They faced the lions' den, 02:38 they faced the stake and been burned at the stake, 02:42 they have faced persecution and oppression. 02:46 Yet, the Book of Revelation has given them great courage. 02:51 Have you ever noticed that sometimes 02:53 after your greatest disappointments in life, 02:56 you have your greatest joys in life. 02:58 Christians at times go through sickness, 03:02 yet in that moment of sickness, 03:04 they find Christ in ways that they would never have had 03:06 if they hadn't gone through that. 03:08 They go through periods of financial challenges. 03:11 Yet they find Christ in that, 03:13 in ways they would not have found 03:16 if they hadn't gone through that. 03:18 They have gone through periods of financial disaster, 03:23 and as they have periods with their family 03:25 where there's been conflict and through all of that, 03:28 through the tears of life, through the trauma of life, 03:33 they found Christ in a new way. 03:36 In Revelation 10, 03:39 we're gonna study in this presentation, 03:42 joy coming out of sorrow, triumph coming out of defeat. 03:46 We're gonna discover 03:49 how in some of the most painful experience in life, 03:53 God works some of the most amazing miracles, 03:56 for the glory of His name, 03:58 and for the triumph of His cause. 04:00 As we go to Revelation, 10, we understand 04:03 that the Book of Revelation talks about a God 04:06 that brings joy out of disappointment, 04:09 a God that brings 04:11 His power at the time when we need it most. 04:15 We take our Bibles and we turn to Revelation 10. 04:20 One of the most powerful, 04:22 one of the most magnificent chapters 04:24 in all the Bible. 04:25 Now there are three chapters in the Book of Revelation 04:27 that describe God's people, or His true church. 04:31 Revelation 14 describes the message of the true church. 04:36 Revelation 12 describes 04:39 the identifying characteristics of the true church. 04:42 But Revelation 10 04:44 deals with the historic rise of the true church, 04:48 and it deals with the people of God 04:51 rising up out of disappointment. 04:54 Revelation 10's central message is this, 04:57 "God brings joy out of sorrow." 05:01 Revelation 10:1-4, 05:04 "I saw still another mighty angel 05:07 coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. 05:10 And a rainbow was on his head, 05:12 his face was like the sun." 05:15 Very often we rush by Bible texts, 05:18 not fully getting their significance, 05:21 not fully grasping their meaning. 05:23 So let's look at this passage very carefully. 05:26 I saw still another mighty angel 05:29 come down from heaven. 05:30 When an angel comes down from heaven 05:32 to bring a message to John, 05:34 I want to listen, don't you? 05:36 If God sends His message via an angel, 05:40 it must be incredibly important. 05:42 Now notice what it says, 05:43 it says he's clothed with a cloud. 05:47 Can you think of any other time in the Bible, 05:51 where a cloud protected God's people, 05:54 can you think of that? 05:56 When Israel wandered 05:57 in the wilderness in the desert, 06:00 there was a cloud over them by day. 06:03 What does a cloud represent in the Bible? 06:07 If you have your scriptures, 06:08 take your Bible and turn to Proverbs 16. 06:13 Proverbs 16. 06:16 And here we find a little bit 06:18 about the significance of a cloud. 06:22 What does a cloud represent in the Bible? 06:25 Proverbs 16:15, we get a clue from the cloud 06:31 that protected Israel from the desert sun. 06:34 That was obviously God's blessing, 06:37 obviously God's protection, obviously God's favor. 06:42 Proverbs 16:15, 06:44 "In the light of the king's face is life, 06:48 and his favor is like a" what? 06:51 "Cloud." 06:52 So when we see this expression of an angel, 06:56 coming from the presence of God with a cloud, 07:00 God is bringing His favor to His church. 07:03 God is bringing His blessing to His church, 07:06 God is gonna manifest 07:08 all of His goodness upon His church. 07:10 I saw still another angel, 07:12 mighty angel come down clothed with a cloud, 07:14 and a rainbow was on His head. 07:17 Whence the first time God mentioned 07:18 a rainbow in the Bible? 07:20 In the Book of Genesis, that's right. 07:23 And the rainbow represents God's justice 07:26 that the world must be destroyed by a flood, 07:29 but His mercy 07:30 that He would never do it again. 07:32 So when an angel comes from the presence of God, 07:35 bringing God's favor to His people. 07:39 When this angel comes from the presence of God, 07:41 he is an angel of justice and mercy. 07:44 On the cross of Calvary, 07:46 with nails driven through His hands 07:49 and blood running down His face, 07:51 Jesus demonstrated justice 07:54 that sin must be atone for, 07:58 that the broken law could not be left 08:01 without the satisfaction of divine justice. 08:05 So on the cross we find justice, 08:08 but in the cross we also find mercy. 08:12 The characteristic of God 08:14 is He is a God of justice and mercy. 08:16 So love has two sides, the justice side, 08:20 and the mercy side. 08:22 So also when you look at the final judgment, 08:26 you see the blessing, 08:27 the cloud of God upon His people in judgment 08:31 when the great controversy is settled 08:33 between good and evil, 08:35 but you also see the justice and mercy of God. 08:38 So right from the first phrase, 08:41 here in Revelation 10, 08:44 we are being pointed to end time, 08:46 a time when the cloud of blessing 08:49 would come upon God's church, 08:51 a time when justice and mercy would be revealed, 08:54 and the great controversy would be settled 08:56 between good and evil, between Christ and Satan. 09:00 And it said, His face was like the Son, 09:03 the Son of righteousness, 09:05 the iridescent glory of God, 09:07 and then it says, 09:08 "And his feet were like" what, like what everybody? 09:11 "Pillars of fire. 09:13 And he had a little book open in His hand, 09:15 and he set His right foot on the sea 09:17 and His left foot on the land." 09:19 Now notice his feet were like pillars of fire. 09:22 Where else in the Bible 09:24 do you read about pillars of fire? 09:27 When Israel is wandering in the wilderness, 09:31 they were covered by the cloud of God's favor, 09:34 the cloud of God's blessing, 09:36 the cloud of God's goodness through the day, 09:39 and they were guided by pillars of fire at night. 09:43 Pillars of fire indicate guidance, 09:45 they indicate direction. 09:47 So when an angel comes down 09:49 iridescent with the glory of God, 09:52 and as this angel comes down, 09:53 he comes down with God's blessing, 09:55 the cloud of his favor for God's church. 09:58 He comes down to point God's church 10:01 to justice and mercy in the final judgment. 10:04 He comes down to give God's special direction 10:07 to his church guided by these pillars of fire. 10:12 "But this angel 10:14 has a little book open in his hand. 10:18 And he sets his right foot on the sea, 10:20 and his left foot on the land, 10:22 and he cries with a loud voice, says when a lion roars. 10:26 When he cried out, 10:28 seven thunders uttered their voices. 10:31 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, 10:33 I was about to write, 10:35 but I heard a voice saying to me, 10:37 'Seal up the things 10:39 which the seven thunders uttered, 10:40 and do not write them.'" 10:42 You know, there is a lot of people 10:43 that want to know, 10:45 and they are always trying to figure out 10:47 things that God has never revealed. 10:49 You know, the Bible says, 10:51 that the seven thunders are announced 10:53 but here the angel says, 10:56 "John, don't write these seven thunders." 11:00 You know, I give God credit 11:02 for making most clear what's most important. 11:06 I am always nervous about those people that say, 11:09 "I have discovered new truth and here is some time prophecy 11:14 and if everybody else only knew that," 11:17 I am nervous about that. 11:19 I think God makes most plain 11:21 what's most important in the Bible, 11:23 what do you think? 11:25 God is very clear in Scripture 11:29 as He makes most plain His divine truth, 11:33 as He makes most plain His Word, 11:36 as He makes most plain the things 11:39 that are the most significant in Scripture. 11:42 So when God says, 11:44 "Seal up the things 11:45 which the seven thunders uttered, 11:48 and do not write them." 11:50 I don't want to get into those, do you? 11:52 I am not interested in what God has not revealed, 11:55 I am interested in what He has revealed. 11:58 Now what was in the angel's hand, 12:00 what was there? 12:02 A little what? Book. 12:03 And the book was closed or open, everybody? 12:06 Open. The book was open. 12:08 What other book in the Bible 12:11 is a companion book to the Book of Revelation? 12:14 What other book? The Book of Daniel. 12:17 Does Daniel and Revelation, do they match, and sync, 12:22 and does one explain the other? 12:24 Yeah. 12:25 Was the Book of Daniel ever sealed? 12:29 Well, let's look at what the Bible says, 12:31 "What's the little book in the angel's hands?" 12:33 It must be a prophetic book, 12:35 and it must be a book that was at one time sealed. 12:39 Daniel 12:4, what does it say? 12:42 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, 12:44 and seal the" what? 12:46 "Book until" what time? Until what time? 12:49 "The time of the end, 12:50 and many shall run to and fro, and knowledge" 12:53 that is knowledge about 12:55 the Book of Daniel would be what? 12:57 "Increased." 12:59 Daniel 12:9, "And he said, 'Go your way, Daniel, 13:02 for the words are sealed until the time of " what? 13:07 "The end." 13:08 So was there a book of the Bible 13:11 that was to be sealed until end time. 13:14 Was there? 13:15 Certainly, and what was that book? 13:17 Daniel. 13:18 So an angel comes down from heaven, 13:20 iridescent with the glory of God, 13:23 an angel comes down from heaven 13:25 with the cloud of God's favor and blessing, 13:28 an angel comes down from heaven with justice and mercy, 13:32 an angel comes down from heaven 13:34 to open the little Book of Daniel, 13:36 and reveal the portion of Daniel 13:39 that has been sealed, 13:41 namely the portion about the end-time judgment. 13:45 Now when you look at the Book of Daniel, 13:47 was the whole book sealed? 13:50 Did anybody 13:51 failed to understand some of the parts of Daniel? 13:54 What portion of the Book of Daniel 13:57 does the angel would be... 13:58 Say would be sealed? 14:00 Well, was the part about Daniel and the lions' den sealed? 14:03 Nope, Christians have read that, 14:05 believers have read that down through the centuries, 14:08 and they have understood Daniel and the lions' den. 14:12 What about the three Hebrews 14:15 being thrown into the fiery furnace, 14:16 was that sealed? 14:18 Certainly not, so what was sealed? 14:21 The time portions of the Book of Daniel. 14:25 The angel whom I saw, Revelation 10:5, 6, 14:30 "The angel whom I saw standing on the sea, 14:32 on the land raised up his hand to heaven 14:35 and he swore by Him who lives forever and ever." 14:38 Now look, my friends, 14:39 if the angel stands, 14:43 raises his hand to heaven, 14:45 and swears by a solemn oath, 14:49 I want to listen, don't you? 14:51 Here is an angel swearing by a solemn oath. 14:53 Do angels lie when they swear by a solemn oath? 14:57 Do angels speak falsehood 14:59 when they swear by a solemn oath? 15:01 This angel that represents God himself, 15:06 who brings a message from God himself, 15:09 lifts his hand to heaven. 15:11 And it says, he swears by him 15:12 who created the things that are in it, 15:15 and the earth and the things that are in it, 15:17 and the sea and the things that they are in it, 15:20 that there should be delay, 15:22 that is the delay 15:23 and the fulfillment of the time prophecies. 15:26 The King James Version says, 15:27 "There should be time no longer." 15:30 Now I want you to think about this word delay or time. 15:35 You don't quite catch it in the English language. 15:38 The New Testament was written in the Greek language, 15:41 and the word for delay or time is Chronos there. 15:45 Do you know what word we get from Chronos? 15:48 Chronology, and chronology has to do 15:52 not with a punctiliar point in time, 15:55 but rather a duration or length of time. 16:00 So the very word Chronos that's used refers us back 16:05 to the prophecies of the Book of Daniel, 16:08 the longest time prophecy in the Bible in Daniel. 16:12 There would be time no longer, another word's, 16:16 chronology would run out 16:18 after the fulfillment of Daniel 8:14, 16:22 the 2300 year prophecy, we're gonna look at that. 16:25 So after that time, 16:27 according to the angel who swears, 16:31 lifting his hand to heaven, 16:33 the issue with Christ is no longer time. 16:37 You go back to this prophecy, 16:40 the time prophecies of the Book of Daniel 16:42 would be sealed until the time of the end. 16:47 Now what's the longest time prophecy 16:49 in the Book of Daniel? 16:51 What prophecy in Daniel takes you down 16:54 to a time period 16:56 after which there is no specific time prophecy? 17:02 Daniel 8:14, "He said to me, 17:05 'For two thousand three hundred days, 17:09 then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." 17:12 This is the longest time prophecy 17:14 in the Bible. 17:16 Now in this series 17:18 on Revelation's Ancient Discoveries, 17:20 we have studied this 2300 day prophecy. 17:25 In the Bible, one prophetic day equals one literal what? 17:30 One literal year, 17:32 so this prophecy would say unto 2300 years, 17:36 then the sanctuary will be cleansed. 17:38 That only makes sense 17:39 because 2300 days from Daniel's day 17:42 certainly only would take you for literal days, 17:45 about six, six and a half years, 17:46 it doesn't take you down to the time of the end. 17:51 Now what about this cleansing of the sanctuary? 17:53 Let me review what we studied already. 17:57 The 2300 years in Daniel's day, the Bible says, 18:02 "Know therefore and understand 18:04 from the going forth of the decree to restore 18:08 and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, 18:11 shall be seven weeks, three score and two weeks. 18:14 That decree went forth by Artaxerxes, 18:17 according to Ezra 7, in 457 B.C. 18:21 Sixty nine prophetic weeks after that 483 years, 18:26 take you down to the cross exactly, 18:30 take you down rather to the baptism of Christ, 18:32 and where Christ here is baptized. 18:36 Three and a half years later, according to the prophecy, 18:39 you are taken down to the spring of 31, 18:41 the cross of Calvary. 18:43 Three and a half years later, you are taken down 18:46 to the gospel going to the Gentiles. 18:48 In fact, Daniel's prophecy said, 18:51 70 years, or 70 weeks of years. 18:56 70 weeks, 490 literal years 19:01 are for the Jews in this prophecy. 19:04 So part one of the prophecy for the Jews has to do 19:08 with the first coming of Jesus, His baptism, His crucifixion, 19:13 the gospel going to the Gentiles. 19:15 The second part of the prophecy has to do 19:17 with the second coming of Christ, 19:20 and the first 490 years run out in 34 A.D. 19:25 Then, there are 1810 years left in the prophecy, 19:29 taking us down to 1844. 19:32 This 2300 year prophecy, 19:36 2300 prophetic days or literal years, 19:38 we've studied this carefully 19:41 in this Revelation's Ancient Discoveries series. 19:43 This is a review of that. 19:46 If some of you have missed it, go back to the presentation 19:50 that we have gone over this very carefully. 19:52 So this cleansing of the sanctuary 19:56 takes you down to what the Bible calls, 19:59 "The time of the End". 20:01 It takes you down to the last days 20:04 of earth's history, 20:05 takes you down to the year 1844. 20:09 Now God deals with great epics in history. 20:13 When God is talking about history, 20:15 He is dealing with great epics. 20:17 So when we look at Revelation 10, 20:20 what does that say? 20:21 It's saying Daniel's prophecies would be unfolded, 20:24 the Book of Daniel would be opened. 20:26 And as the Book of Daniel would be opened, 20:29 the longest time prophecy in Daniel, 20:32 that 2300 year prophecy that predicted 20:35 the exact date of the baptism of Christ, 20:39 the exact date for the crucifixion of Christ, 20:43 the exact date for the gospel to go to the Gentiles, 20:47 that this long time prophecy would run out. 20:50 It would come to its fulfillment in 1844. 20:53 God is dealing with these huge epics of history, 20:57 but notice what it says in Revelation 10:7. 21:02 "But in the days of the sounding 21:04 of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound..." 21:07 Now, this is the last of the trumpets. 21:11 "The mystery of God would be finished 21:13 as He declared to His servants, the prophets." 21:16 Now, whenever this 2300 year prophecy ran out, 21:21 sometime after 1844, according to the Bible, 21:25 the mystery of God would be finished. 21:28 What's the mystery of God? 21:30 Take your Bible, turn to Colossians 1. 21:34 It's vitally important to understand this expression, 21:39 the mystery of God. 21:42 The angel comes down from heaven iridescent 21:46 with the glory of God, 21:48 with an end-time message about a little book, 21:51 the Book of Daniel that would be open, 21:54 about Daniel's time prophecies 21:55 that would be fulfilled after 1844, 21:58 about a little book that would be open 22:01 and talk about the mystery of God being finished. 22:05 You are looking at the Book of Colossians 1:27. 22:11 What is the mystery of God? 22:15 "To them God willed to make known 22:17 what are the riches of the glory of His mystery." 22:21 Here is the glory of Christ's mystery, 22:24 what is that? 22:26 "Among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, 22:28 the hope of glory." 22:30 So what is the mystery of Christ 22:33 that's been kept hidden down through the ages? 22:36 It's Christ transforming the lives of His people. 22:39 It's the love of God being manifested in His people. 22:42 It is the people that are dedicated totally, 22:45 completely, absolutely to Christ. 22:48 The mystery of God, 22:50 the mystery of the incarnation of Christ in the believer, 22:54 the mystery of the transformed life of the believer, 22:58 the mystery that in a world of sin, 23:00 and iniquity, and wickedness, 23:02 that Christ can triumph over evil in your life. 23:06 That mystery would be revealed, and what would happen? 23:09 Verse 28, "Him we preach, warning every man, 23:14 and teaching every man in all wisdom, 23:16 that we may present every man perfect in Christ." 23:20 What is the mystery of God? 23:22 It is the cross of Christ changing 23:25 the lives of men and women. 23:26 It's the cross of Christ making the lives of men and women new, 23:30 whoever you are watching this telecast, 23:32 whoever you are in this local audience. 23:34 Christ can do something in your life that's amazing. 23:37 Christ can enter your life, Christ can transform your life. 23:41 The mystery of God can be revealed in your life. 23:44 The mystery of Christ, 23:46 the mystery of Jesus forgiving your sin, 23:49 the mystery of Jesus pardoning your sin, 23:52 the mystery of Jesus taking away that guilt, 23:55 the mystery of Jesus breaking the chains that bind us, 23:58 the mystery of Jesus delivering us 24:00 from habits and attitudes that shackle us. 24:03 This mystery of Christ, 24:05 and when Christ enters into your life, 24:07 when He gives you a new life, when He transforms your life, 24:11 all you want to do is share His love, 24:13 all you want to do is share His goodness, 24:15 all you want to do is share His grace. 24:18 God will have a group of people at end-time 24:21 that have come to Christ. 24:23 They have come to the cross of Christ. 24:25 Jesus has changed their life 24:27 and they go out to spread His message, 24:30 and the mystery of God will be finished. 24:32 Now the finishing of the mystery of God 24:34 is His final powerful proclamation 24:37 of the gospel to the entire world, 24:39 so that Jesus can come. 24:41 Now how would these events develop? 24:45 How would the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecies, 24:50 how would those that fulfillment, 24:52 at the end of that 2300 year prophecy, in around 1844, 24:57 how would the events that surrounded 25:00 that lead to the mystery of God, 25:03 lead to men and women being totally, 25:05 absolutely sold out for Christ 25:07 and going out to preach the gospel to the world. 25:11 Notice Revelation 10:9, 25:13 "So I went to the angel and I said to him, 25:15 'Give me the little book.'" 25:17 What's the little book? 25:18 The Book of Daniel. 25:20 "And he said to me, 'Take it and eat it, 25:23 and it will make your stomach bitter, 25:25 but it will be as sweet as honey 25:28 in your mouth.'" 25:29 So take the little book and eat it. 25:31 You remember what Jeremiah said, 25:32 "Thy words were found and I did eat them 25:35 and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart." 25:39 You remember what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, 25:42 "Man shall not live by bread alone, 25:43 but by every" what? 25:45 "Word that precedes out of the mouth of God." 25:48 So taking the little Book of Daniel, 25:50 here's a prediction, 25:52 at the end of that 2300 year period. 25:55 In 1840s, God's people men and women around the world 26:00 would begin studying the prophecies of Daniel. 26:03 The prophecies of Daniel would be open, 26:05 and as they studied them, their hearts would thrill, 26:09 new joy would cross through their veins, 26:11 they would have a hope and a glimmer 26:13 in this dark world 26:15 that Jesus is coming and coming soon. 26:18 But "Then I took the little book 26:19 out of the angel's hand and I ate it." 26:22 I absorbed the little Book of Daniel. 26:24 "It was sweet as honey in my mouth. 26:28 But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter." 26:33 What is the clear prediction? 26:35 That a group of people, desiring to see Jesus come, 26:40 would study Jesus' Word, 26:42 and they would be so thrilled with what they studied, 26:45 so enthralled with what they studied, 26:47 so excited about what they studied, 26:50 they would believe that Jesus was coming, 26:52 and it would be so sweet in their mouth. 26:55 But they would go 26:57 through a bitter disappointment. 27:01 Tears would flow from their eyes, 27:04 they would feel that their hopes like a bottle 27:06 thrown against the wall and dashed 27:09 and cracked in a thousand pieces, 27:11 their hopes would dance away like a shadow. 27:15 They would go through a bitter, sweet experience. 27:20 Historically, 27:23 when the prophecies of Daniel were fulfilled, 27:26 shortly after 1844, and in and around that date 27:32 before and after it, what experience led up to 1844? 27:37 What experience led up to the climax 27:40 of that 2300 year prophecy? 27:44 Did God's people read the Book of Daniel? 27:48 Were there Baptists, and Methodists, 27:50 and Congregationalists, and Catholics, 27:52 and people of all faiths and creeds 27:54 that studied the Book of Daniel, 27:57 did their hearts burn within them? 27:59 Were they thrilled with what they studied? 28:03 Did they go through a bitter disappointment? 28:06 Let's review some of that history. 28:08 We go to Europe and the continent, 28:10 and we leap across to England. 28:13 Edward Irving began to study 28:15 the prophecies of the Book of Daniel. 28:17 He studied the time prophecies of Daniel. 28:20 He believed that Christ was going to come 28:23 in the early 1800s and settled on the 1840s. 28:28 At this time, 28:29 most of the churches were teaching, in fact, 28:32 most of the theologians were teaching, 28:34 Bible teachers were teaching, that Christ would come 28:37 and establish His kingdom on earth, 28:40 that there would be a 1000 year millennial period of peace. 28:44 The idea of a soon return of Christ, 28:47 the idea of Christ coming in power, and glory 28:50 in the clouds of heaven, 28:52 was not something that was typically being taught 28:55 by the traditional churches. 28:57 But Edward Irving began studying 28:59 the prophecies of Daniel and he said, 29:01 "Christ is going to come, 29:02 and Christ is going to come soon." 29:05 Soon, 300 preachers in the Church of England 29:11 were preaching 29:12 from their pulpits, the soon return of Christ. 29:15 That He would come and every eye would see Him. 29:17 That He would come and He would come 29:19 and not keep silence, Psalm 50:3. 29:22 That He would come in glory, Matthew 16:27. 29:25 And so England was moved 29:28 by the preaching of these preachers 29:30 in the 1840s about the coming of Christ. 29:33 There was Manuel Lacunza, 29:35 he happened to be a Catholic priest, a Jesuit. 29:39 He began studying the Bible, 29:41 he was amazed 29:42 at what he studied in South America. 29:45 And he began to study about the fact 29:47 that Jesus was coming and He was coming soon. 29:50 He began to study about the fact 29:51 that the Bible did not teach, 29:53 that there was a 1000 years of peace on earth. 29:57 He became so thrilled that he wrote a track. 29:59 He would not write it under his name Manuel Lacunza 30:02 because he knew that he could be persecuted, oppressed. 30:06 So he wrote it under the name of Rabbi ben-Ezra. 30:09 And as he wrote it, people began to read it, 30:11 and all of South America began to be stirred, 30:14 Christ is coming, and coming soon. 30:17 Joseph Wolf became the missionary to the world, 30:22 brilliant mind, knew multiple languages, 30:25 traveled to the Middle East, 30:27 often walked the deserts bare feet, 30:30 little to drink, often attacked by wild beasts, 30:34 taken captive and kidnapped by barbarian tribes 30:39 but he preached, and preached, and preached 30:41 on the second coming of Christ, came to America, 30:45 preached before the American Congress, all over the world. 30:49 Surprisingly, God is raising up different men, different women. 30:53 Surprisingly, God is moving by His Holy Spirit 30:57 in very, very remarkable ways. 31:00 There is an advent movement, an advent awakening, 31:04 God is preparing to do something amazing. 31:08 God raises up a farmer. 31:10 Low Hampton, New York, his name William Miller, 31:14 and God moves upon him. 31:15 He studied Scripture for 12, 13, 14 years. 31:19 He had been a deist. What a deist? 31:22 Deists believe that you wind up the world like a clock 31:26 and you let it go. 31:27 That God does not interfere in human activity. 31:31 But God moves upon this farmer. 31:34 He begins to study the Bible, he had no hope for salvation. 31:38 He said, "The earth was like brass under my feet." 31:41 He said, "My future was clouded in darkness." 31:43 But as he studies, he finds Jesus. 31:46 He finds the Lamb of God that can take away his sin. 31:50 He finds the Christ that died upon the cross for him. 31:54 He finds a new strength, he finds a new joy, 31:57 he finds a new meaning. 32:00 He has one rule of scriptural study. 32:03 I will let the Bible explain itself. 32:06 And he starts with Genesis, 32:08 and as he is reading 32:09 something that he doesn't understand 32:11 he looks for a text that enables him to explain it, 32:14 and William Miller comes to the conclusion, 32:17 he comes to the Book of Daniel, 32:19 and he lets the Bible explain itself. 32:21 He reads 2300 days, 32:25 he goes to Ezekiel 4:6, a prophetic day is a year. 32:28 He goes to Numbers 14:34, prophetic day is a year. 32:32 He reads about the beast in Daniel 7. 32:34 He comes down to 7:23 32:36 and he reads the beast shall be the fourth kingdom. 32:39 He reads about waters, 32:41 he goes over to Revelation 17:15, 32:42 he says the waters are people. 32:44 So he begins to use the Bible to interpret itself. 32:48 Along with Edward Irving, along with Joseph Wolf, 32:53 along with Manuel Lacunza, Miller, 32:56 thousands of others 32:57 have come to the conclusion, Christ is coming. 32:59 So there is this great Advent movement, 33:02 1840, 1841, in the 1840s. 33:07 Around the world, 33:08 the Word of God is being proclaimed. 33:11 What are the fruits of this movement? 33:13 Men and women 33:15 are on their knees surrendering to God. 33:18 Men and women are repenting of their sin. 33:21 Debts are being paid back. 33:24 Old scores are being settled. 33:26 Reconciliation is taking place between people. 33:30 Drunkards are becoming sober. 33:33 Prostitutes are becoming pure. 33:35 Thieves are becoming honest. 33:38 The message of the second coming of Christ 33:41 is stirring America, 33:43 stirring Europe, moving the world. 33:46 They believe Jesus is going to come. 33:49 Eventually, they settled 33:51 on a date, 1844, October 22, 1844. 33:56 Now you say, 33:57 "But they should have known better. 33:59 Jesus says there would be not a day or an hour." 34:03 You know, there are times 34:05 that one may misunderstand prophecy, 34:07 and they did, no question about it. 34:10 But God did something amazing out of that misunderstanding. 34:14 You see, faithful Bible students believed 34:17 that the cleansing of the sanctuary 34:19 was the cleansing of the earth by fire. 34:22 So when they read under 2300 days, 34:25 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 34:26 They said, "What's the sanctuary?" 34:27 Oh, that's the earth. 34:29 And it needs to be cleansed by fire when Jesus comes. 34:33 They misunderstood that. 34:35 They anticipated that Christ would come 34:38 at the end of the 2300 years in 1844. 34:43 Now remember 34:44 what Daniel's prophecy predicted, 34:48 that time prophecy would run out in 1844, 34:51 that the judgment... 34:53 The cleansing of the sanctuary, that judgment would begin then. 34:56 And remember what Revelation said? 34:59 It said, take the little book and eat it, 35:01 and it will be what? 35:03 Sweet in your mouth, but what? 35:06 Bitter in your belly. 35:08 When Christ did not come as they expected, 35:12 they were bitterly disappointed. 35:15 But let me take you to another disappointment. 35:21 You see somebody says, 35:22 "But Pastor Mark, wait a minute. 35:26 How could a movement that was so true, 35:30 and has such tremendous power, 35:32 how could that ever end up so disappointed?" 35:37 Let me take you to another disappointment. 35:40 This disappointment is not 1844, 35:43 this disappointment is 31 A.D. 35:45 This disappointment has to do with the disciples. 35:49 Did Jesus explain to the disciples 35:52 that He was coming to set up a kingdom of grace? 35:58 Were there prophecies in the Old Testament 36:00 that spoke about 36:01 the crucifixion of Christ, were there? 36:04 Did the disciples understand those? 36:06 They thought He was coming to give them victory 36:09 over the Romans. 36:10 They thought He was coming to triumph over their enemies. 36:15 When Jesus died on the cross, 36:18 were there prophecies both in Daniel, and Isaiah, 36:23 and Micah, and Psalms throughout the Old Testament 36:27 that could have and should have revealed 36:30 to the disciples 36:32 that Christ was coming to set up 36:34 the kingdom of grace and not the kingdom of glory. 36:36 Were the disciples disappointed when Jesus died on the cross? 36:41 Were all their hopes dashed when Jesus died on the cross? 36:46 Luke 24:21 records the sayings 36:50 of the disciples on Emmaus road, 36:53 "But we were hoping 36:55 that it was He who was going to redeem Israel..." 36:58 They had given everything. 36:59 Peter, and James, and John 37:02 had left their fishermen's nets. 37:05 Matthew had left his tax collector's booth, 37:08 and here when Christ died, 37:10 they were bitterly disappointed. 37:13 The last time they had seen Christ's body 37:15 before the resurrection, they saw his bruised, 37:18 and broken, and bloodied body 37:21 as it was laid in the tomb. 37:22 They were hiding 37:24 in that upper room fearful, discouraged, depressed 37:28 but out of that disappointment of 31 A.D, 37:32 out of their misunderstanding of prophecy, 37:36 out of all of that, God was raising up 37:39 the New Testament Christian church 37:41 because God brings joy out of sorrow. 37:44 God brings triumph out of defeat. 37:46 God brings joy and happiness 37:50 out of our discouragements in life. 37:52 Look, Jesus said to them in Acts 1:7, 37:54 "He said to them, 37:56 'It's not for you to know the times and seasons 37:58 when I'll set up my kingdom 37:59 that the Father has put in My own authority." 38:01 After His resurrection, He said to them, 38:04 "I have a task for you." 38:06 Acts 1:8, "You shall receive power 38:09 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 38:11 and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, Judea, 38:14 Samaria to the end of the earth." 38:16 The New Testament Christian church 38:18 was raised up out of disappointment. 38:21 The New Testament Christian church 38:23 was raised up 38:25 out of a misunderstanding of prophecy. 38:28 The Bible says, Acts 2:41, 38:31 "Then those that gladly received his word 38:34 were baptized, 38:36 and about three thousand souls were added to them." 38:40 Watch the pattern, 38:42 misunderstanding of prophecy by the disciples, 38:45 hopes dashed when Christ goes to the cross, 38:49 Jesus dies and put in His tomb, Christ is resurrected. 38:52 He says, "You have a mission." 38:54 They commit to following that mission. 38:56 He pours out His Holy Spirit upon them. 38:59 The gospel goes to the then known world. 39:01 Acts 6:7, "The word of God spread, 39:04 the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem, 39:07 a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith." 39:10 So the gospel goes everywhere. 39:13 God often brings victory out of our pain. 39:15 You're going through some pain today, 39:17 some sorrow today, some disappointment today, 39:21 God brings victory out of our pain. 39:25 God said to them, Matthew 28:19, 20, 39:30 "Go therefore 39:31 and make disciples of all nations, 39:34 teaching them to observe all things 39:35 that I have commanded you." 39:36 Go, I have a mission for you. 39:38 The disciples believed 39:40 that Christ was going to restore His kingdom. 39:42 The disciples were bitterly disappointed 39:45 when Christ was crucified. 39:47 The disciples were amazed after the resurrection. 39:52 And the disciples too had a mission to fulfill. 39:57 What about God's last day church? 39:59 They went through that period of disappointment. 40:03 Can you imagine 40:05 what it must have been like October 22, 1844? 40:09 Like these early disciples, 40:13 they believed that Christ was going 40:15 to set up His kingdom. 40:17 Like these early disciples, 40:18 they believed that Jesus was going to come. 40:23 Can you imagine, it's October 22, it's 1844. 40:30 The leaves are changing in the autumn in New England. 40:34 The horizon is painted in all the hues of gold, 40:40 and yellow, and orange. 40:42 It's a beautiful fall. 40:44 But these New Englanders and those who believed 40:47 around the world that Christ was coming, 40:49 have left their crops, many of them in the fields. 40:54 They believed Christ is coming and I can just imagine, 40:57 it's evening of 1844, October 22, 41:00 and a family gathers around, 41:02 there is father, and there is mother, 41:05 there are sisters and brothers. 41:07 And father says, 41:09 "Children, Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming. 41:13 We've studied the prophecies of Daniel 2, 41:15 they had been fulfilled. 41:17 We've studied the prophecies of Daniel 7, 41:18 they had been fulfilled. 41:20 We've studied 41:21 the last time prophecy in the Bible. 41:23 The sanctuary is going to be cleansed. 41:24 The earth is going to be cleansed with fire. 41:26 Jesus gonna come. 41:28 Oh, John, my son. 41:30 James, my son, 41:31 have you fully committed your life to Christ?" 41:33 "Yes, father, we have." 41:35 Alice, little girl, eight years old, 41:37 "Have you committed?" 41:38 "Yes, I have daddy. Yes, I have." 41:40 Jesus is gonna come today. 41:41 He is coming before midnight. 41:43 He's gonna come at the darkest hour. 41:45 Oh, Johnny raises his hand. "Daddy, daddy. 41:49 Will we see grandpa again? I love grandpa. 41:53 Grandpa and I used to take hikes, 41:54 we used to walk in the forest right out there. 41:56 Daddy, will I see him?" "Yes, yes." 41:58 "And, daddy, 41:59 what about Aunt Jane, will we see her?" 42:01 "Yes, we will." "Oh, I can't wait. 42:03 How soon, how soon?" 42:05 "Five more hours children, four more hours, children, 42:08 three more hours, children, 42:09 one more hour, children, He is coming." 42:13 He does not come. 42:17 Were the prophecies wrong? 42:21 Mother doesn't sleep all night. 42:23 What shall we tell the children in the morning? 42:28 Was the Bible wrong? Were we wrong to believe? 42:32 But they saw 42:34 the evidence of the moving of the Spirit of God, 42:38 and they began to understand these early Adventists, 42:42 these Methodists, these Baptists, 42:45 these Pentecostals, these Congregationalists. 42:48 They began to understand 42:51 that the earth was not the sanctuary, 42:54 but that Christ had entered into His final work 42:57 in the sanctuary of heaven 43:00 to prepare a world for His soon coming, 43:03 that in the light of the judgment, 43:04 men and women would kneel and repent of their sins, 43:08 and Christ in them would be revealed 43:11 and His Holy Spirit would be poured out on them, 43:13 and go to the world. 43:15 You see, the disciples accepted after their disappointment 43:18 that Christ had a commission to proclaim the gospel 43:21 to the world. 43:22 Christ's last day disciples believed like 43:25 these early disciples 43:26 that Christ was going to restore His kingdom. 43:29 Christ's last day disciples, 43:31 like these early disciples were bitterly disappointed 43:34 when Jesus did not return. 43:36 Christ's last day disciples were amazed 43:38 when they discovered 43:39 that they were living in the judgment hour, 43:41 and that the message of Christ 43:43 was to go to the ends of the earth, 43:45 and Christ's last day disciples accepted 43:48 Christ's commission to proclaim 43:49 the gospel to the world, 43:51 Seventh-day Adventist. 43:54 Do not look at 1844 43:57 as some black spot on denominational history. 44:01 We see that as one of the hallmarks 44:04 that this is a divine movement of destiny 44:07 raised up by God. 44:09 We do not look 44:10 at the disappointment of the disciples, 44:12 or the cross as some black mark. 44:14 We see the cross standing above heaven and earth. 44:18 We see Christ dying for us, 44:21 we see the disciples disappointed. 44:24 But out of that disappointment, 44:25 our mighty God 44:27 brought the New Testament Christian church 44:30 to launch the New Testament Christian dispensation, 44:33 and we see Jesus doing the exact same thing 44:36 in the exact same pattern at end-time. 44:40 Out of disappointment raising up a movement, 44:43 a movement that would go to the ends of the earth 44:45 to prepare people for the coming of Christ. 44:48 God brings joy out of disappointment, 44:51 God brings victory out of defeat, 44:54 God brings triumph out of tragedy 44:57 because that is the kind of God we serve. 45:00 And today, the message of Christ 45:03 is being preached to the ends of the earth 45:06 because the angel said the prophecy is not over 45:09 with a bitter disappointment. 45:11 Revelation 10:11, 45:12 "He said to me, you must prophesy again 45:17 about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." 45:21 Out of the disappointment of Calvary, 45:22 God raised up 45:24 the New Testament Christian church, 45:25 filled it with the spirit to go to the ends of the earth. 45:29 Out of the disappointment of 1844, 45:31 God raised up the Advent movement 45:33 not as another denomination, not as another church 45:36 in the landscape of American churches 45:39 or this world's churches. 45:41 God raised up an end-time movement 45:43 to take the gospel to the ends of the earth 45:46 and from that small beginning Seventh-day Adventists today 45:50 have work in over 216 countries in the world. 45:54 "This gospel of the kingdom, Matthew 24:14, 45:58 will be preached to the ends of the earth, 46:00 and then the end will come." 46:02 God is fulfilling His prophecy today. 46:06 What's Christ waiting for? He is waiting for His people. 46:09 On their knees, repent before Him, 46:12 to give their lives fully to Him, 46:14 to be filled with His Holy Spirit, 46:17 and go to the ends of the earth sharing His love. 46:19 Revelation 14:6, 7 says, 46:22 "Then I saw another angel flying 46:25 in the midst of heaven, 46:26 having the everlasting gospel to preach to those 46:29 who dwell on the earth 46:30 to every nation, tongue, and people." 46:33 This prophecy is being fulfilled today. 46:36 Let me share with you some amazing stories 46:40 of how this prophecy is being fulfilled, 46:43 the gospel is going to the ends of the earth. 46:45 God does have an end-time people, 46:48 a people that are preparing men and women 46:51 for the coming of Christ. 46:52 When Jesus will come, every eye will see Him. 46:55 A people that are sharing the matchless charms of Christ, 46:58 a people that are leading men and women 47:00 back to the law of God, and the Bible, Sabbath. 47:04 A people that believe in the message of Revelation 10 47:08 that you must prophesy again. 47:12 A people that are taking this message to every nation, 47:16 kindred, tongue and people. 47:17 Let me share with you an amazing story 47:18 that just happened. 47:20 Adventist World Radio, 47:21 making an amazing impact as is all of our telecasts, 47:25 and all of our radio and internet. 47:28 But recently, 47:30 Adventist World Radio broadcasts 47:32 in 80 languages with signals reaching 47:34 more than two-thirds of the world's population. 47:37 Recently, Adventist World Radio leadership 47:40 came to me and they said, 47:41 "Pastor Mark, can we broadcast some of your sermons 47:44 to the most remotest areas of the world?" 47:47 So we gave them our sermons on Revelation. 47:50 They began broadcasting my audio sermons. 47:54 Way back, in the Philippines, in the mountain areas, 47:58 with no civilization back there but tribes... 48:04 One of the tribes had a transistor radio, 48:07 and those tribes then began listening 48:09 to that transistor radio. 48:11 Now at the same time, we had sent about 25 pastors 48:17 to preach in different cities in the Philippines. 48:20 And as they were preaching in the south Philippines, 48:23 they were gonna have a baptism on one Sabbath, 48:26 about 800, 900 people are going to be baptized. 48:29 As they were getting ready for the baptism, 48:31 they noticed these people coming, coming, coming, 48:35 and they were coming from the mountains, 48:37 and they are about 20 of them. 48:39 And they said, "Who are you? Where did you come from?" 48:41 We were listening, in our language translated, 48:46 to the messages of the Book of Revelation. 48:48 We come from the jungles. 48:50 We represent 14 villages 48:54 with thousands of Indians in there, 48:56 and our chief said to us, 48:58 "You come to be baptized at that Adventist baptism, 49:02 and then come back and teach the village. 49:04 Get who is baptizing those Adventists 49:07 to send their missionaries to the village 49:08 because we've heard this message on the radio." 49:11 Praise God in the deepest recesses 49:15 of the jungle, God's message is going forth. 49:19 There are tens of thousands 49:20 of Seventh-day Adventist mission pioneers 49:23 that are penetrating 49:25 the remotest areas with the gospel. 49:26 Not long ago, we were with some of those mission pioneers, 49:29 two of them, one of our church leaders. 49:33 And we said to these two mission pioneers, 49:35 "What do you need more than anything else?" 49:37 They said, "We don't want to say." 49:39 "What do you need more than anything else?" 49:42 "We don't want to say." 49:44 "Please tell us what do you need?" 49:46 Well, they looked at one another. 49:49 They said, "We have one pair of shoes 49:51 between us and we work in villages 49:55 that are 14 to 20 miles apart, 49:58 and whoever is walking to the farthest village 50:01 gets to wear the shoes that day. 50:05 But look at our feet, Pastor, they are all bloody. 50:08 Only if we had another pair of shoes." 50:11 Well, you can bet we gave them the shoes. 50:14 But that's the dedication, 50:16 that is the commitment that is taking this message. 50:20 Well, you come with me to the cities of the world, 50:22 the cities of this world are filled with people 50:25 longing to know Jesus Christ 50:27 and the message is going forth in the great cities of India, 50:30 the message is going forth in the cities of China, 50:32 the message is going forth 50:34 in the cities of the former Soviet Union. 50:36 God is moving powerfully through radio, 50:41 through television, through 3ABN, 50:44 through every aspect that we are using. 50:47 God is moving in Moscow, he is moving in Russia. 50:51 Hundreds, thousands are coming to Christ. 50:54 This message that grew up out of disappointment 50:57 is going to the ends of all the world. 51:01 I was in Papua New Guinea, 51:02 a hundred thousand came out to the stadium 51:05 and I saw this bedraggled group of people. 51:08 I said, "Who are you? How did you get here?" 51:10 "Pastor, we live on an island. 51:12 We live on an island 51:13 and, Pastor, this is what happened. 51:15 We heard you're gonna be here. 51:17 We heard you're gonna talk about Jesus. 51:18 We heard you're gonna talk 51:20 about the second coming of Christ. 51:21 We walked three days across our island, 51:24 then we took a boat for one day. 51:25 Then we came here to the Kokoda Trail 51:28 and we walked for a week." 51:29 I said, "That's dangerous. There are robbers there." 51:31 They said, "No problem, Pastor, we only got robbed twice." 51:35 They said, "We walked and came by truck, 51:38 by boat, for ten days." 51:42 Jesus is doing something, my friends. 51:44 God is leading people from every faith. 51:46 God is leading people from every creed. 51:49 God is leading people to His last day church. 51:54 Would you like to open your heart right now, 51:56 wherever you are, as CA comes to sing. 51:58 And say, Jesus, Jesus. 52:01 I see that You bring joy out of sorrow. 52:06 Lord, I want to give my life to you 52:09 and walk with Your last day people. 52:15 Weak and wounded sinner 52:19 Lost and left to die 52:23 Raise your head for Love is passin' by 52:29 Come to Jesus 52:33 Come to Jesus 52:37 Come to Jesus 52:41 And live 52:45 Now your burden's lifted Carried far away 52:52 His precious blood has washed away 52:56 Your stain 52:58 So sing to Jesus 53:02 Sing to Jesus 53:06 Sing to Jesus 53:10 And live 53:14 Just like a newborn baby 53:18 Don't be afraid to crawl 53:22 Remember when you walk 53:24 Sometimes you fall 53:28 But fall on Jesus 53:32 Fall on Jesus 53:36 Fall on Jesus 53:41 And live 53:47 Sometimes the way is lonely 53:51 Steep and filled with pain 53:54 But if your sky gets dark and pours the rain 54:01 Then cry to Jesus 54:04 On the shoulder of Jesus 54:08 Cry to Jesus 54:13 And live 54:19 And when your love spills over 54:24 And worship fills your life 54:27 And when you can't contain the joy inside 54:33 Then dance for Jesus 54:37 Like David danced for Jesus 54:40 Dance for Jesus 54:45 And live 55:00 And when your life is over 55:05 And your work is done 55:08 Rest in peace and wait 55:12 until He comes 55:18 Then fly to Jesus 55:21 Rise and see Jesus 55:25 Fly to Jesus 55:31 And live 55:41 Fly to Jesus 55:48 And live 55:58 One day, we will fly to Jesus. 56:02 He will come again 56:04 and we'll be caught up in the sky to meet Him. 56:07 But until that time He has given us a task, 56:11 until that time He has given us a mission. 56:13 Do you want to be part 56:15 of something bigger than yourself, 56:17 something greater than yourself? 56:21 You are watching this telecast, you are here in this audience. 56:27 But you long for something bigger, 56:29 something greater. 56:31 You know that life 56:32 is not simply getting up every morning, 56:34 and going to work, and coming home, 56:37 and watching television, there is something big, 56:39 and grand, and great. 56:42 Jesus says to you, "Make your decision." 56:46 Come to Christ, be part of a movement. 56:50 Not simply a church or denomination, 56:52 but be part of a movement, 56:54 a Sabbath keeping Adventist movement 56:56 that's going to the ends of the earth. 56:58 It will capture your attention, it will grip your imagination. 57:03 Use every one of your talents until Jesus comes again, 57:06 why not make that decision as we pray. 57:08 Father in heaven, 57:10 You've called us to something bigger, 57:12 something grander, something greater. 57:16 In the mundane lives that we live, 57:18 we see the vision 57:20 and just now come to Jesus in Christ's name, amen. 57:26 Thank you so much for joining us 57:28 for Revelation's Ancient Discoveries. |
Revised 2018-06-25